20-year-old man dies after PMD catches fire in lift at Woodlands housing block

SINGAPORE: A 20-year-old man has died after suffering severe burn injuries when a personal mobility device (PMD) caught fire in a lift at a Woodlands housing block on Thursday night (Jun 3). 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the police responded to a fire on the second floor of Block 537 Woodlands Drive 16 at about 11.25pm on Thursday.

The fire involved a PMD in a lift, said SCDF in a Facebook post on Friday. It had been extinguished by members of the public using buckets of water before firefighters arrived. 

The man was conscious when taken to the hospital, where he subsequently died from his injuries, said the Singapore Police Force. 

About 90 residents of the block were also evacuated by the police as a precautionary measure. 

Preliminary investigations into the cause of the fire indicated that it was of "electrical origin" from a PMD, said SCDF.

Investigations into the unnatural death are ongoing, said the police.

READ: Woodlands lift fire death: Neighbour of man who died after PMD caught fire in lift heard ‘popping tiles’ sound

Two families who saw the victim coming out of the lift helped douse the fire on him, said Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC Vikram Nair in a Facebook post.

The damage from the fire was "extensive", said Mr Nair, who visited the block on Friday.

"BCA (Building and Construction Authority) approval has been obtained for the other lift to continue functioning - it is safe, even though the smoke smell has not cleared," he added. 

"The repairs to the other lift may take some time as the damage is extensive."

SCDF reminded the public that non-UL2272-certified devices and any modifications to PMDs pose a fire risk and threaten public safety.

"Owners of these devices are strongly encouraged to dispose of their devices at the appropriate recyclers," said SCDF.

This can be done at any KGS collection point until Jun 30 at no cost, it added.